You want to lose weight, quit smoking, exercise regularly or read more books.

You have a goal. You’re determined. So you get started...

The first week is easy. As you successfully form your new habit, you gain confidence and tell your friends how simple it is. But as one week turns two, three and a month, life starts to get in the way.

Meditation has made its way into the mainstream. And for good reason. Its benefits have been proven and scientifically backed. In fact, a quick Google search on the topic will bring up multiple types of meditation—like breathing, transcendental and zazen among others. With all these options, you may feel so overwhelmed that you give up on meditation before even trying it. Not to worry. There is an incredibly easy way to meditate that almost everyone overlooks. In fact, it’s so easy, even a 2 year old could do it. What is it? It can be summed up in one word.

Anyone who’s been in one for more than a few months knows arguments eventually rear their ugly head, and the euphoria and sweetness that accompanied those first blissful months begins to fade.

Yet the challenges that accompany long relationships are not without their rewards of personal growth and a stronger, more intimate bond with your partner.

Of course, the success of a long-term relationship is never guaranteed. While there are a million reasons why relationships end, sometimes it’s a result of one or both persons not taking responsibility for their thoughts and actions - each partner blames the other for their shortcomings. This is where my story comes in.

What is meditation? This is a question that's been asked thousands of times. And for good reason. From breathing to transcendental to zazen, there are a mind-boggling amount of meditations types out there. For the newcomer, this can not only be confusing, but probably leaves you wondering, “What possibly could all these meditation styles have in common?”